TAGO Establishes New Global Advisory Board

16 Jan 2005 TAGO, which has been breaking new ground in the Arab world since it was founded as a public accounting firm in Kuwait in 1972, has positioned itself as the leading Arab professional services group worldwide.

The services of this pan-Arab firm now include accounting, auditing, financial and management consulting, intellectual property and legal services, international trade facilitation, formal and on-line training, information technology, translation, and others.

However what really sets TAGO apart is its unique pro-active role as a leading voice and example of Arab corporate citizenship.

Therefore the organization takes great interest in social, economic, and development public policy issues and seeks to make meaningful contributions to these in the fields of education, training and capacity building.

TAGO has led efforts in the Arab region to promote the United Nations Global Compact, aiming to deploy the influence of private sector leadership in ameliorating social ills.

The group has long made social commitment a central core of its corporate mission in particular contributing to the social and economic development of the Arab world.

TAGO is continuously involved in development issues through its sponsorship and mentoring of Arab NGOs. Over the years such activities have created an ever broadening network of relationships and commitments.

In recent years the Group has developed increasingly close relationships with international organizations such as the International Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force, the World Economic Forum, the University of Cambridge and others.

The increasing scope and sophistication of the projects, challenges, and relationships that TAGO has undertaken has led the group management to conclude that it is now appropriate to form an external advisory board.

While such boards are often mandatory for public companies, as a vehicle to preserve the rights of shareholders and other stakeholders, they are not required for private companies in general and particularly in the Arab region.

Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TAGO says “We believe that we are not only contributing to our own future success in forming this external advisory board, but hopefully also setting an example that other Arab firms will emulate.

Such external boards bring enormous benefits, including fresh perspectives, new knowledge, new relationships and a more candid appreciation of a firm’s strengths, weaknesses and corporate culture. We do not see the cost as an expense we see it as an Investment.”

The TAGO International Board of Advisors (TIBA) reflects the international scope and sophistication of TAGO’s business and civic interests and its commitment to the developing world and the underprivilege.

TIBA’s members, all with high-level international experience in national governments, multi-national organizations, academia, business, and/or NGOs represent the stakeholder environment and business model that TAGO embodies - a commitment to pursuing business with sensibility and a social mission.

The TIBA board includes:

- H.E. Jose Maria Figueres Olsen - a director of, and advisor to, a number of international boards he has a unique and distinguished background combining a highly successful career in business, public service, and international organizations.

A graduate in engineering from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and, later in his career, in public administration at Harvard University, he initially held various appointments in the private sector latterly at the senior executive/president level.

This was followed by service in government as the Minister for Foreign Trade and then Minister of Agriculture for Costa Rica culminating in his election as President of Costa Rica from 1994 - 1998.

His international work has included, amongst others, Chairperson of the UN ICT Task Force (2000-2003) and more recently CEO of the World Economic Forum (2000-2004).

- The Rt. Hon Sir Jeremy Hanley K.C.M.G. - former UK Cabinet Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and the Armed Forces. He is a Chartered Accountant and non-executive director of a number of public companies in the UK, USA and France.

- Honourable Sergio Marchi - President of Legacy House Investments in Geneva and a board member of several private companies and non-profit advisory boards.

Previously he enjoyed a distinguished political and diplomatic career in Canada where his twenty five year record of public service included responsibilities as a Toronto City Councilor; Member of the Canadian Parliament; Federal Cabinet Minister for three portfolios including International Trade; and Canadian Ambassador to the World Trade Organization and UN Agencies in Geneva.

- H.E. Abdel Hamid Mamdouh - Director of the Trade in Services Division at the World Trade Organization. A lawyer by training he previously served as a legal counselor and assistant to the Deputy Director-General of the GATT. As a member of Egypt’s Foreign Service he was chief adviser to the GATT and advisor to the Minister of Trade.

- Professor Edward Gress - Professor of Accounting at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. He has also served as Chairman of the Department of Accounting and the Director of Graduate Accounting Programs.

He is the President and Lead Instructor of Financial Training Associates in Williamsville, New York, a firm that specializes in offering seminars in accounting and financial subjects. His business experience includes active participation in real estate development and funding.

He also serves as a consultant to manufacturing, environmental, and service companies, and to large real estate and oil and gas syndicates.

- Professor John Small C.B.E., D.Litt - Emeritus Professor of Accountancy and Finance at Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, a Former President of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) UK.

He is a Chartered Certified Accountant, a Chartered Management Accountant and a director of a number of private sector companies.

AMMAN - The Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAGO) has announced the formation of a new high level board of advisors.